Expo offer a big opportunity to pitch to a concentrated group of prospects who could become your customers. It is a chance to present your company, stand out from the crowd and show potential customers what makes you the best choice. In this article, we highlight the key mistakes that exhibitors make when selecting, designing and implementing a stand design.

1. Bad Location

Your location at the expo can affect your ability to attract audiences, communicate with your attendees and gain leads. You might have a fantastic design stand, but it will not have the desired impact if people cannot see it.

How you can avoid this mistake:

You are supposed to book a good location in the exhibition hall so that you receive foot traffic and allow many prospects to see your exhibition design stand easily. You will need to get there early to reserve the best space, if the only location you get is not so good, then doubly ensure that you design an eye-catching stand for maximum visibility from any location in the hall.

2. Your Staff Standing at the Booth Look/Behave Like Security Guards

In a bid to look proactive, many-a-times staff at exhibition booths end up shooing away potential leads. Sometimes, staff members unintentionally patrol the peripheries of expo booths to make themselves look approachable to visitors. You will be surprised to know this, but this can act as a wall or a barrier between your exhibition booth and visitors.

How you can avoid this mistake:

Though it is good to be proactive and keep your design stand lively, staffs need not be standing like they are the watchdogs who are on the lookout of something. But also sitting behind the desk and waiting for visitors to approach is not the right way. Therefore, there should be balance between the two.

3. Not Engaging with Attendees

Exhibition shows are the best opportunity to gather contacts for future sales and business opportunities. You may not be gathering leads because the ideas you used are not suitable for the attendees, or maybe you don’t have a method of approach. If you cannot get contact information from visitors, then the purpose of exhibiting can become lost.

How you can avoid this mistake:

Engage with visitors, teach them about your brand, share your company’s vision and ask them about theirs. Exchange contact details and business cards of those who visit the stand. Avoid talking to the same visitor for too long, you can decide to follow up with them later. Also, keep a tray or glass bowl for people to leave their business cards. Remember to follow up on these potential customers by training and allocating members of your team to connect with them. Following up contacts can give exciting opportunities that are very useful to your business.

4. Cutting Costs of Design Stand

Looking for the cheapest exhibition location, economizing on design stand or frequently recycling old stand material may save some money, but at what cost to your reputation? Expos are an investment in new business; give them the budget needed. It will pay for itself when those leads come in.

How You Can Avoid This Mistake:

Negotiate before you cut cost. Always ask if you are getting the absolute best price from suppliers and try negotiating for slight refocus on getting value for money. Be happy to pay for skilled and experience staffs and exhibition booth designers & contractors. You may be able to realize your vision for less than you thought.

5. Attracting Wrong People

Any marketing message involves defining the target customer. This should be the first step for every marketing activity, and design stand requires that too. The exhibition stand design should be eye catching and inviting, but it should attract the right people only. A fascinating transparent construction filled with water and a dozen of confused goldfishes will definitely attract a lot of visitors, but in most cases you might have the wrong customers who are not interested with your brand.

How you can avoid this mistake:

Whenever you want to add some “wow-factor” to your creative design stand, consult a specialist if the element you want to use is appropriate and helpful in reaching the exhibition goals.

6. Choosing a Very Complicated Message for Your Design Stand

One of the keys to a successful expo design is simplicity, both in the visual aspect of your design stand and the message you send to prospective customers, clients and partners.

A common expo mistake is to choose a marketing message that is overly complicated or hard to understand. Many companies with great products and services set themselves back by using headings and copy that is complex for an exhibition show environment.

How you can avoid this mistake:

Remember, expos are busy markets in which attendees are surrounded by flashing lights, loud announcements, and product demonstrations. If your marketing message takes over three seconds to read and understand, it is possibly too complicated. Also, ensure people passing near your design stand can read the message at a distance of 15 feet without straining.

If you are looking to exhibit across Europe, then do get in touch with us and we can demonstrate to you how we can add value to your exhibition experience.

Happy Exhibiting!